Beautiful Japanese Zen gardens: in pics

The rock garden at the temple of Ryōan-ji in northwest Kyoto is thought to be
one of the finest Zen gardens in Japan. Totally flat, it is thought to date
back to the late 15th century and contains no trees or shrubs. The wall
covered by the weeping cherry in this picture is of a type known in Japan as
abura-dobei, in which clay has been mixed with rapeseed oil and brine for
extra durability.